The mission of the Office for Marketing and Communications (“MarCom,” for short) at the University of Nevada, Reno is to advance institutional reputation and enrollment by creating smart, measurable marketing and communications solutions that showcase this dynamic national Tier 1 university. UNR is renowned for its culture of student success, world-improving research and outreach that enhances communities and business.
At the Reno-Tahoe AMA's March 2014 luncheon, UNR’s Executive Director of Marketing Communications, Thomas White, discussed an overview of both the University and MarCom’s top initiatives, including SEO, SEM, graduate student recruitment, and the University’s quest to reach the top research classification.
About Thomas White:
Thomas White was appointed Executive Director of Marketing Communications in February 2014. Thomas brings more than 25 years of communications experience in higher education, the federal government and the corporate sector. At the University of Nevada, Reno, Thomas and his team are responsible for developing and executing a strategic communications program that promotes and differentiates the University and its core mission.
Prior to joining the University, Thomas managed the university communications programs at the University of New England (Portland and Biddeford, Maine), St. John’s (Queens, NY), Seton Hall (South Orange, NJ) and Washington and Lee (Lexington, VA). In each case, Thomas took an enterprise-level approach to strategic marketing that transformed the departments from traditional models into technology and metric-driven programs.
Thomas began his higher education career at Indiana University (Bloomington) where he was the chief marketing technologist responsible for managing a $1 million pilot program utilizing a range of Web-based technologies to increase the national and international visibility of the university.
Thomas served as press secretary for the Peace Corps (D.C.) at a time of growth unprecedented since its inception in 1961. Thomas started his career in consumer marketing with the Seagram Wine Company (Chicago).
3. • 22,000 students by 2021
• Reduce student-faculty ratio from 22:1 to 18:1
• “RU/VH” Carnegie Classification
• Build research faculty & PhD programs
UNIVERSITY GOALS
12. PARTNERSHIPS WITH EACH OF OUR COLLEGES
• Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources
• Business
• Education
• Engineering
• LiberalArts
• Science
• Journalism
• Medicine and Health Sciences
17. DIGITALMARKETING
• Online marketing space is competitive
• Education marketing is diverse…no “one-size-fits-all” solution
• Data-driven approach leverages multiple media channels totarget and
attract high-intent traffic
• Compliance and transparency important
• Market and consumer research are vital
18. DIGITALMARKETING: MEDIAMIX
• Mobile, Mobile, Mobile Mobile-First Strategy
• Search Engine Marketing (Paid: Search &Display)
• Search Engine Optimization
• Email Marketing
• Social Media
• Remarketing
• Lead Generation
Thank you.
Introduce Michael and David.
If you want to see your creative director go apoplectic, suggest making your logo kelly green for
St. Paddy’s day…
Before we get into an overview of our marketing program, let me first give you a snapshot of the University today.
By any material measure the University is experiencing tremendous momentum…
The University’s short-term goals are, in large measure, also our long-term goals.
The office of Marketing and Communications is playing a highly strategic role…
Recruiting undergraduate students and, more integrally, recruiting PhD students, which is a key measure in our attainment of the RU/VH classification.
And awarenss…
Brand = Awareness and Relevance
Without awareness no one knows about your brand and without relevance they don’t care.
Build a framework though which to express authentic differentiation of the University of Nevada, Reno brand.
Then “integrate and amplify” your messages throughout that network.
Plan effectively…execute relentlessly…measure copiously
Our positioning statement is the guiding hand of our brand…provides an invaluable means of bringing focus and clarity to the development of our marketing strategy and tactics
Another rallying point for us is our theme. This past year it has been momentum and maximizing that momentum.
Next year, it will be…
Draws attention to the gains the University is helping society make in seismology, engineering for natural disasters, in medicine, science and so forth.
To talk about additional fundamentals that we draw on, our blocking and tackling if you will, is David…
When I arrived a year ago, the fundamentals were in place. Design and messaging were of the highest caliber.
Now building out the framework
Begin moving into the digital realm in important ways…
My first act was to hire Michael…
Highlights include:
• 30,000+ people follow the University on Facebook and Twitter.
• 15,000 high school college intenders have viewed our Engineering TV spot, “Study Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno” in its entirety on YouTube™.
• Our digital ad campaign made 2.4 million impressions on high school college intenders doubled the number of flights to our Nevada Bound campus tour events.
• 3 million people around the globe the TEDxUniversity of Nevada, Reno talk by watched Logan LaPlante—the fifth most-watched TED talk of all time—which was sponsored by The College of Business EMBA program.